Guard for skate runners



Mar. 6, 1923.

RITTER @UARD FQB SKATE RUNNERS Filed Jan, 2.5, 192g Patented Mar. 6, 1923.

U etarras,

CHARLES A. RITTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GUARD FOR SKATE RUNNERS.

"Application med Januaryl 25, 192e. serial ivo. 531,545.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Rrrrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Guards for Skate Runners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to removable guards for runners of ice skates, and consists in the matters hereinafter described and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. l is a side elevational view of an ice skate of the tubular type with shoe attached and showing a guard of my invention attached to the skate about the runner thereof;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the guard removed from the skate;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the guard removed from the skate.

The ice skate shown in the drawings is of the tubular type and has a steel runner 1, a front.cup 2, and a rear cup 3, both secured to and extending upward from the tube 4 into which the runner 1 extends and is secured, as shown in Fig. 3. The front cup 2 has a sole plate 5 and the rear cup 3 has a heel plate 6, as usual in skates of this character and to which is secured, as by rivets, a shoe 7. The skate illustrated is of the racing type, and forward of the front cup 2 is a brace 8 extending between the tube 4 and the sole plate 5 and secured to both, 'as shown.

The runner guard of my invention is made of two side strips 9, 9 and a bottom strip 10, the former of one material and the latter of a different material. The side strips 9, 9 are preferably made of leather, such as sole leather; and therefore are relatively thick and rigid as required. Said side strips 9, 9 have the shape shown in the drawings and are secured together at their front ends by a line of stitching 11 and at their rear ends by a metal fastener 12 to provide a receiving pocket for the runner 1.

The bottom strip 10 is preferably made of a resilient and water-proof material, such as rubber, and extends the full length of the guard between the lower margins of the side strips 9, 9. Said bottom strip 10, in the particular guard illustrated, has the cross-sectional shape shown in Fig. 3, and thus has a base portion 13 below the lower edges of the side strips 9 and a rib portion 14 between said sidestrips atthelower margins thereof. The runner when in the guard rests 6o on said rib 14, as shown in Fig. 3. The lower portions of the sidestrips 9, 9 are secured to the interposed rib 14 in any suitable manner, as by stitching 15, as shown. Between the sides of the rib 14 and the side 65 strips 9, 9 are fabric strips 16, 16 through which the stitching 15 extends and thus' holds the stitching in the rubber bottom strip 10.

The guard is shaped to t over the front end of the runner 1 and tube 4 and that 70 holds the guard about the runner at the front end of the skate. To hold the rear portion of the guard about the runner, the guard has a flap 17 secured to one side strip 9 and carrying one member 18 of a snap 75 fastener to engage the other member 19 of such fastener on the other side strip 9 after the flap has been passed over and around the tube 4 between the cups 2 and 3, as shown in Fig. 1.

Users of shoe attached skates usually place guards over the runners and walk on the guards when going on and off the ice to prevent injuring the runners and dulling them especially when walking over the ground, hard pavements and rough ice around the border 'of the skating place. Guards as heretofore made do not stand up long under this usage because they are made entirely of leather and the runners being sharp soon cut through them especially when the guards become soft and pliable on becoming wet when walking through snow, water, and soft and slushy ice. Moreover, such guards having no water-proof properties, do not prevent resting of the runners.

By the use of guards of my invention these objections are overcome. The bottom member 10 being made of resilient mate' rial, such as rubber, forms a. cushion tread when walking on the guards, and the runners seating on the same instead of the side strips 9, 9 do not cut through the side strips, thus prolonging the life of the guards. Moreover, the cushion bottom strip 10 being in 105 contact with the surface walked on, and being of rubber, prevents slipping especially when walking on ice and smooth surfaces. Again, the bottom strip l0 being the part walked on and not the side strips, as heretofore, and having water-proof properties, prevents water reaching the runners to rust them, and aiso'saves the life of the leather tion, it is of course to be understood that the`V details of construction 'may be variously changed and modified' without departing from the spirit and Scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. Askate runner guard, comprising two side strips, and a bottom strip of rubber, said bottom Astrip having a ,base por'tion'below the lower edges of said sidestrips and a narrower rib lportion between `said side strips and secured thereto.

2. A skate runner guard, comprising two side strips, a bottom"strip `of rubber, said bottom strip having a base portion below the lower edges of said side strips and a narrower rib portion` between said side strips and secured thereto, and fabric strips between said rib portion and said` side strips. y v A In'tes'timony that I claim `the foregoingas my inventioml affi; my signature thisQlst day'of January,A. D. 1922.

CHARLES A; RITTER. 

